Collapsible reel



Juiy 26, 1932. H, GREGORY 1,868,634

COLLAPS IBLE REEL Filed Nov. 2 2. 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 wrm Y form a. substantially circular Patented July 26, 1932 y UNITEDSTATES PATENT. oFF-lcs;

HENRY GREGORY, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR T THE AMERICAN STEEL 'AND WIRE COMPANY OF NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY l COLLAPSIBLE REEL mutation mea Novemiml 22,1930. serial No. 497,522.k

The invention relates to reels upon which wire, barbed wire fencing or similar material is reeled or coiled into bundles vfor convenience in storage and shipment. In the production for the market of such material as wire, and notably barbed wire for fencing, there is need for a reel which shall be strong, simple, inexpensive, of relatively little weight, and capable of being introduced into the machine where its burden is coiled uponit. It is advantageous also thatsuch a reel be collapsible, that it may bestored vin quantity in minimum space. It is such a reelwhich constitutes this invention.

Heretofore collapsible reels have generally been constructed withsquare arbors so that the wire as it is wound takes right'angle bends immediately over the arbor and this bending tendency continues for a considerable dis tance out from the centerof the bundle.V As

they wire is unwound from the reel it jumps olf with a jerk at the points of bend and such bends or kinks mustbe straightened out as the wire is used. The bends or kinks are so severe in the last few wraps ofthe wire that it is very difficult to straighten the wire so that a considerable length is oftentimes rendered useless. n

The lpresent reel has for. one of its objects the provision of a ve-rod arbor arranged to outline so that the wire is wound vor wrapped thereon withlout bends or kinks which permits the formof an even vand smooth bundle.

ing

Another object of this inventionis to profV vide a reel with one-piece end members havas to prevent catching of one reel with anfr ance with my invention.

ing their outside faces free of projections so other when two or more reels are mounted on one arbor for simultaneous unwinding.'4

AReferring to theacco1npanying drawings forming part ofthis specification;

a collapsi-Y Figure l is a perspective view of ble `reel constructed and arranged in accord- Figure 2 is an enlarged sideview of one of the center pieces of the reel shown in Figure 1. Y

i Figure 3 is an enlarged end view ofthe center piece shown.- in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a detail planvand Figure V5 a lation.

Figure 11 is a cross-section taken on the longitudinal side elevation of the end mem` i i Figure 8 is an enlarged crosssection on the lineVIIIf-VIII of `Figure 4.

Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-section 'on the line IX-IX of Figure 4.

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary plan of one of the end members showing a portion of one of the center pieces in assembledrreline'XI-XI of Figure k10.

Figure 12 is an enlarged crossesectiongtaken on the line XII-XII of Figure 10.

i Figure 13 is an enlarged cross-section taken on the line XIII-XIII of Figure 10.

Referring now more specicallyto the drawings7 the improved reel is shown as com prising two pressed metal end members 10L having a number of leg portions 11. In each leg portion a groove or slot 12 is provided into which the wire center pieces 13 kare'inserted to form the core of the reel.

Openings 14 in the center of the end member 10 are provided7 vthrough which a rod orarbor can be extended when unwinding wire from the reel of FigureA 1. Openings 15 spaced apart from the central opening 14 and the radial leg port-ions 11 are alsoprovided through which rods comprising the arborof a'reeling machine extend when coiling vor reeling wire upon the reel of Figure 1.

The' reeling machine .for which my reely is` adapted adetachable arbor composed `of 5 rods s othat when the reeli's placed in position on the machine tobe lled'with wire these' 5 rods pass through the holes 15 ofth'e reel,

thereby vholding the reelin position and at the same time forming a core on which kwire can be wound ina circular landsymmetrical manner not possible where a square arbor as commonly used is employed. Openings4k or holes 16 provided on the outer ends of each leg portion 11 of the end members 10 afford means for securing the outer endsofthe leg portions of the reel together when filled with wire, a wire threaded through these holes having its ends fastened together to tie the end members of the reel together. The reel, for the sake of clearness, is shown in Figure 1 without any wire or other material bundled thereon.

In order to enable me to use light, thin material and at the same time obtain suflicient strength I provide beads or bends 17 on the marginal edges of the end members, Figure 6, and also at the holes or openings 14 and 15, Figure 9. To add further to the strength of the end members 10 I provide bent-in portions 1S, Figures el, G and 7, in the central body portion thereof and in the leg portions 11. The portions 18 are bent in a depth approximately equal to the width of the beads or bends 17 and materially greater 'than the thickness of the metal or material from which the end members are formed.

In order to sec-ure the wire center pieces in the end members I make cuts or incisions 19 in the grooves 12, Figures and 8, and bend the portion of the groove 12 between the cuts or incisions 19 into the position 20, Figures '7 and 8, to form bands so that when the bent end of the wire center piece 13 is inserted into the groove 12 it is held in place by the bentdown portion or band 20, Figure 8. I also find it advantageous to iiatten a part of the bent portions of the center pieces 13 at points 21, Figures 2 and 3, approximatelyv one-third the length of the end portion from the bends 23 in the center pieces. This flattening ofthe wire forms humps 22 on the side of the wire so that the center pieces can only be assembled on the end pieces by forcing the humps 22 through the openings formed by the cuts 19 in the grooves 12 of the end members, thereby distorting said members and binding the ends of the center pieces in position (see Figures 10 to 13, inclusive). IVhen the center pieces are placed in assembled relation with the end members the humps 22 of the center pieces lie in a position between the cuts 19 of the end members and said center pieces cannot become detached from the end members except by forcing the humped portions of the center nieces outthrough the openings or cuts 19. y this means the center pieces are self-locking when shoved through the openings in the grooves of the end members and are held rigidly in position.

The assembled reels are used as required, being placed in position upon a reeling machine and wire then being reeled or wound thereon between the end members until a bundle is formed of a diameter corresponding approximately to the length or greatest eimension of the end members. The so-formed bundles are then in readiness for storing or shipment to the place of use. After the wire has been removed for use, the empty reels are easily and quickly taken apart by hand and,

when a quantity of the dismantled reels have been accumulated, they are returned in collapsed or disconnected condition to the factory where they are again readily assembled together in readiness for further use.

The 'advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

By taking the reels apart for shipment damage to the empty reels is avoided while the space occupied during shipment is very greatly lessened.

Modiiications in the construction and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from my invention as defined in the appended claims; for instance, while the reel as shown has five wire center pieces and has end plates comprising a central body portion and five legs arranged in star shape I may use any reasonable number of wire center pieces and end members having a plurality of leg portions corresponding in number to the number of wire center pieces used.

I claim:

1. A collapsible reel comprising one-piece end members and a plurality of center pieces to connect the end members in spaced apart relation, said center pieces being arranged radially in the assembled reel to form an arbor of circular outline, said end members having grooves corresponding in number to the number of center pieces, said end members being slit in a direction transverse of and at points inward from each end of each of said grooves, the portions of said end members between said slits being bent inwardly opposite said grooves to form retaining bands for said center pieces, said center pieces having each of their ends bent over and inserted in said grooves and beyond said bands, said bent-over ends having deformed portions intermediate their ends adapted to wedge against and distort the contour of said bands to thereby yieldably secure and hold said center members and end members in assembled position.

2. A collapsible reel comprising one-piece i end members and a plurality of center pieces to connect the end members in spaced apart relation and form an arbor of circular out-v line, said end members having grooves corresponding in number to the number of center pieces, said end members being slit in a direction transverse of and at points inward from each end of each of said grooves, the portions of said end members between said slits being bent inwardly opposite said grooves to form retaining bands for said center pieces, said center pieces having each of their ends bent over and inserted in said grooves to a point beyond said bands to thereby yieldably secure and hold said center members and end members in assembled position.

3. A collapsible reel comprising end members of sheet material and a plurality of eenter pieces yieldably attached to and detachably connecting the end members in spaced apart relation, said end members comprising a central body portion and a plurality of radially extending leg portions corresponding in number to the` number of said center pieces, said end members having'their marginal edges bent to form a marginal bead and having their body portion bent in to form a dished stilening portion extending from the central body portion into each of said leg portions. l y

4. A collapsible reel comprising end members of sheet material and a plurality of center pieces yieldably attached to and detach- A ably connecting the end members in spaced apart relation, said end members comprising a central body portion and a plurality of radially extending leg portions corresponding in number to the number ofsaid center pieces, said end members having their marginal edges bent to form a marginal bead and having their body portion bent in to form a dished stifl'ening portionl extending from the central body portion into each of said leg V portions, said leg portions being provided with centrally arranged grooves' extending longitudinally of said legs and being pro-V vided with spaced slits extending transversely of said grooves, the parts of said leg portions b'etween said slits being bent inwardly opposite said grooves to form retaining bands for said center pieces, said center pieces havp ing each of their ends bent over and inserted in said grooves and beyond said bands, said bent over ends having deformed portions intermediate their ends adapted to` wedge against and distort the contour of said bands to thereby yieldably secure and hold said center members and said end members in 4o assembled position. e

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY GREGORY. 

